Abdulla Al-Harrasi (PhD, 2001)

Current occupationChairman of the Public Authority for Radio and TV in the Sultanate of Oman (Ministerial Rank)

Brief outline of PhD researchMy Ph.D. research explored how metaphor is handled in translation of political discourse. Specifically, I adopted the conceptual theory of metaphor which deals with metaphor as a cognitive process (rather than a linguistic ornament) and studied what this understanding of metaphor would tell us about how translators deal with conceptual metaphors in their translation of political texts.

Why did you choose to study for your PhD in the School of Languages and Social Sciences?In addition to its experience in language studies in general, some academics in the school are known to be leading scholars in the fields of metaphor and translation. In addition, the school is also a lively research environment with its continuous research activities (conferences, seminars … etc.) which gather world-class.

What did you find most useful about the PhD programme?The supervision provided by leading scholars in the fields of metaphor and translation along with the interactions with international scholars in the academic gatherings created an excellent research environment for me to develop my ideas in my dissertation in addition to building networks with members of the international research community in the field.

How has your PhD helped you in your current occupation?The interdisciplinary nature of my research helped me develop a comprehensive approach in seeing life in general and different professional issues in particular. Phenomena are multilayered and are viewed by different people depending on their respective world views. This is essential in the work of media where different voices should be given the right to express their views to reality.